Weather and climate

Sunny weather in Hyde Park, London

Weather describes the condition of the atmosphere. It might be sunny, hot, windy or cloudy, raining or snowing. Climate means the average weather conditions in a particular location based on the average weather experienced there over 30 years or more. Global climate zones with similar floraflora: All the different types of plant species that live in a specific area., faunafauna: All the different types of animals that live in a specific area. and climate are called biomes.

The weather takes into account the temperatureTemperature: How hot or cold something is, for example the atmosphere or the sea., precipitationprecipitation: Moisture that falls from the air to the ground. Includes rain, snow, hail, sleet, drizzle, fog, and mist are also precipitation., humidityhumidity: The amount of water vapour in the atmosphere measured as a percentage. and atmospheric pressure [atmospheric pressure: the weight of air resting on the Earth's surface. ] of the part of atmosphere (air) closest to the surface of the earth.

The weather is constantly changing as temperature and humidity change in the atmosphere. Landmasses, such as the British Isles, experience constantly changing weather conditions.

Climate refers to what is expected to happen in the atmosphere rather than the actual conditions. It is possible for the weather to be different from that suggested by the climate.

The science of monitoring and studying the atmosphere and predicting its weather and climate is called meteorology. People who study the weather and climate are known as meteorologists.